Controller for pneumatic thread removers



C. R. KRONOFF CONTROLLER FOR PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVER I Sept. 18, 1951 2 sheets-811551 1 Filed March 25, 1950 FIG. 2

INVENTOR CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1951 c. R. KRONOFF CONTROLLER FOR PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVER Filed March 25, 1950 2 heets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CLARENCE R. KRONOFF ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 CONTROLLER FOR PNEUMATIC THREAD REMOVERS Clarence R. Kronoif, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Grompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 25, 1950, Serial No. 151,875

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in thread remover mechanisms for the outgoing thread in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to prevent the thread remover from being moved to thread pickup position if a bobbin transfer operation occurs while a shuttle is misplaced.

It has been proposed heretofore to utilize a pneumatic thread remover between the reserve bobbin magazine and the cloth normally in inactive or thread non-pick-up position but moved to active or thread pick-up position by the transferrer arm incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom. It is customary to employ socalled shuttle position detectors or feelers which operate to prevent or revoke a previously called bobbin transfer if the shuttle is misplaced, thereby preventing descent of the transferrer arm. In some instances, however, the shuttle position detector will fail to prevent movement of the transferrer arm if the shuttle is only slightly misplaced and if under these conditions the shuttle is in the path of the thread remover there is likely to be breakage of either the remover or the shuttle.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide detachable operating mechanism between the transferrer arm and the thread remover under control of the shuttle position detector and operated by the latter if the shuttle is misplaced to prevent operative connection between the remover and transferrer arm should the latter have an operating stroke due to failure of the shuttle position detector to revoke transfer.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide bobbin transferrer and threadremover members on one of which is mounted a force transmitter or actuator element to cooperate with an actuated element on the other member, and place one or the other of the elements under control of the shuttle position detector to be moved by the latter to inoperative position in the event a shuttle is misplaced to prevent movement of the thread remover member by the transferrer member.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is'set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a weft replenishing mechanism as viewed from the center of the loom having the present invention applied thereto, the lay being shown in cross section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the lower part of Fig. 1 showing the mechanism in one position in full lines and in a different position in dotted lines,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line 4-4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of part of the mechanism looking in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line fi-B, Fig. 5, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the invention in different positions.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the loom frame i supports a multicolor reserve bobbin magazine M which includes in its construction a transferrer arm 2 pivoted on a stud 3 fixed with respect to the stationary magazine foot 4. The transferrer arm is provided with a transferrer latch 5 for cooperation with a hunter 6 on the lay L. The magazine includes a top shaft 1 operatively connected by rod 8 to the latch 5 and by a second or resetting rod 9 to a carrier l0 pivoted on a stud ll fixed with respect to the magazine M. Secured to and extending forward- 1y from the carrier [0 is a shuttle position detector or feeler l2 which is normally in raised position above the lay and the path of shuttle S.

When a weft replenishing operation is called shaft 1 rocks to depress both of the rods 8 and 9, the former rod lifting latch 5 into the path of hunter 6 to cause a rocking motion of the transferrer arm 2 in a counterclockwise direction around stud 3 as viewed in Fig. 1 as the lay approaches its front center position, and rod 9 swinging the carrier I!) in a clockwise direction around stud II to lower the shuttle position detector or feeler I2 to the detecting position shown for instance in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The thread remover member designated generally at R includes a carrier 15 mounted for angular motion on the stud 3. A flat spring 16 held in place by a nut I! on stud 3 forces the carrier frictionall against the hub I8 for the stud 3 and acts to hold the remover member R in any position to which it may be moved. An elongated member or rod 20 is slidably mounted on the carrier I5 and has a thread remover tube 2| secured to the rear end thereof provided with a thread pick-up hook 22 extending under a thread intake mouth 23. The upper end of tube 2| is connected by a hose 24 to a thread collector 25 the upper end of which is connected by pipe 26 to any approved source of subatmospheric pressures.

A spring 21 surrounding part of rod 20 is inter- 7 2i and also to the tube 2|.

lateral wing 28 overhanging a vertically mov- 3 posed between the carrier l5 and a thread bafile plate 28 fastened to the rear end of the rod Carrier [5 has a able rod 32 which is normally in down position during a bobbin transferring operation but rises at a later point in the loom cycle to return the carrier and remover R to their normal positions.

In the operation of the weft replenishing features of the loom the latch 5 and shuttle position detector [2 will be moved to their operating positions while the lay L is in a rearward position and if the shuttle is properly boxed it will not engage the feeler l2 and a'bobbin transferring operation can proceed in usual manner. Shuttle box back 3! will thereafter lift feeler [2 as the lay approaches front center to reset shaft 1. If, however, the shuttle projects out of its shuttle box as the lay advances it will engage the under side of the shuttle feeler l2 and lift the latter, thereby raising rod 9 and rocking shaft 7 back to its normal position while the lay is still some distance behind front center. Under this last condition the latch 5 will ordinarily drop out of the path of the hunter, but if the latch is slow in falling it will be engaged by the hunter and the transferrer arm will descend to place a reserve bobbin drawn from the magazine into the shuttle S despite the fact that the shuttle feeler attempted to revoke transfer.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and except as noted hereinafter operates in usual manner.

In the past the transferrer arm has been proenough to enable the shuttle'position feeler l2 to revoke or prevent bobbin transfer. It is the general purpose of the present invention to provide a form of operating connection between the transferrer arm 2 and the remover R under control of the shuttle feeler [2 operating in such manner that a slight motion of the feeler l2 by a misplaced shuttle will be sufficient to prevent movement of the remover by the transferrer arm.

In carrying the invention into effect themagazinc is provided with a fixed support 35 somewhat similar to stands used heretofore but for a different purpose. A stud 36 is secured to support 35 by set screw 31. Rockable on stud 36 is a lever 38 which in the present instance has a rearwardly extending arm 39 attached to a rod 40 the lower end of which is pivotally connected as at M to an arm of carrier ll].

Lever 38 has a forward arm as for cooperation with an actuator element designated generally at 44 and mounted forpivotal movement on the transferrer arm 2. As shown in Fig. 3 the transferrer arm has a stud 45 secured thereto as at 43 V nected to the actuator element 44.

' The actuator element has a finger or arm 55 with element 6.1

for cooperation with lever arm 53 and is normally held against the latter by the spring 49. The latch member 44 is also provided with a dagger, dog, or pawl 56 held adjustable on the latch by a nut 5?. Stud 45 has extending therethrough a stop pin 58 receivedby pockets 59 and 60 in the hub 48 to limit angular movement of the actuator with respect to the stud. The carrier l5 has secured thereto a finger or actuated element 6| formed with a rearwardly bent hooked lower end 62, see Fig. 2. V

In operation the parts will normallybe in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 with the shuttle feeler it raised and with lever arm 43 pressing down against finger or arm'55 so that the actuator 44 is moved angularly around stud 45 to its extreme right hand inoperative posi-- 7 tion as viewed in'Fig. 2 so that dog 56 will be out of register with the finger EH. When the magazine is set for transfer, as already explained, the Shuttle feeler 12 will move from the full line position to the dotted, line position shown in Fig. 2 and in doing so will exert a downward force on rod 5-3. to rock lever 38 in a counter-clockwise direction around stud. 45 as viewed in Fig. 2. This permits spring .9 to rock the actuatorelement from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 in which the dog 56 will overhang and be cooperatively related to the finger 61. If the ensuing transfer is normal the remover R will be moved down to its thread pickup position indicated in dash lines in Fig. 2 as the transferrer arm descends by cooperation of the actuator element 44 and the actuated element 6 a The transferrer arm Will reach its lowest position as the lay reaches front center and will move the remover R until its transferring stroke is completed. As the lay approaches front center, however, the back 3| of the shuttle'box will restore the shuttle feeler [2 to its normal. position and lever 38 will return. to. its normal full line position shown in Fig. 2; Resetting of the magazine is ordinarily completed when the lay reaches front center, having started while the lay is still a short distance rearward of, front center as it moves forwardly. The lever arm 43 will therefore return to the fullline normal position shown. in Fig. 2, but at thistime the transferrer is down with the arm 55'' of the actuator 44 spaced below lever arm 43, and the dog'EB is caught in thehook will engage finger 55 and rockthe actuator 44 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, back toits normal position. The operation of level 38andactuator 45 just describedis: for a normal: bobbintransfer with the shuttle properly boxed.

.Should the shuttle be misplaced when the magazine is set for transfer and project under remover R it will strike the-shuttlefeeler l2: and

move it from the full line position to the dotted line positionof Fig. 7', thereby rocking lever 38 to exert a positive force on. element lrimoving: it from its-operative positionxshownin full linesin' Fig. '7' to its: inoperative position outof register If thershu ttle; is widely miss placed thev movement ofi'shuttle feeler" I 2. may occurearly enough to cause revocation of. transfer by dropping of latch 5 and both the transferrer arm and remover will remainup in their normal positions. Should the shuttle be only slightly misplaced, or should revocation fail even with a widely misplaced shuttle, the transferrer arm will move down as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, but the shuttle feeler [2 will previously have rocked element 44 to its inoperative position and the remover R will remain up as element 44' descends as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 8, without engaging element 6|. Thereafter the actuator will be free to turn in response to spring 49 after finger 55 moves downwardly out of engagement with lever arm 43, but by this time the dog will be below and cannot engage the finger 61. As the transferrer arm thereafter returns to normal raised position arm 55 will engage lever arm 43, by this time in full line position, Fig. 2, and actuator 44 will be rocked back to its normal position. From this it will be apparent that a minimum amount of movement of shuttle feeler 12 by a slightly misplaced shuttle will suifice to prevent movement of the remover R on the transferrer arm.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention. sets forth means by which the pneumatic thread remover will normally be moved to thread pick-up position by the transferrer arm, but if the shuttle is misplaced the actuator and actuated element will be in non-cooperative relative position to prevent descent of the remover R by the transferrer 2 should the latter have an operation due to failure of the revoking operation. Each time the magazine is set for a weft replenishing operation the dog 56 will move into a position over the finger or hook 62 and normal movement of the remover by the transferrer arm will occur if the shuttle is properly placed, but if the shuttle is slightly misplaced rocking of lever 38 will positively turn actuator 44 in such a direction as to move the dog 56 out of register with the hook 62. While the invention is of more particular use in connection with shuttles which are only slightly misplaced it will be understood that it also operates satisfactorily should the shuttle be more widely misplaced.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing specific disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom, a bobbin transferrer member having an operating stroke incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, a thread remover member normally in thread non-pick-up position but movable to thread pick-up position, means including two cooperable relatively movable elements, one on each of said members, in cooperative position incident to a replenishing operation of the loom to transmit force from the transferrer member to the remover member upon an operative stroke of the transferrer member to move the remover member to thread pick-up position, a shuttle position detector in detecting position incident to a weft replenishing operation, and means controlled by the shuttle position detector efiecting relative movement of said elements to non-cooperative position upon movement of the shuttle position detector away from the detecting position thereof by a misplaced shuttle to :prevent the transferrer member from moving the remover member to pick-up position.

2. In a weft replenishing loom, an operating member having a motion incident to a weft re- Dlenishing operation of the loom, an actuator element on the operating member, a thread remover member movable from the thread nonpick-up position to thread pick-up position, an actuated element on the remover member for cooperation with the actuator element, a shuttle position detector normally in non-detecting position but moving to detecting position incident to a weft replenishing operation, means mounting one of said elements on the corresponding member for movement relative to the other element, and control mechanism for said one element controlled by said shuttle position detector effective upon movement of the shuttle feeler to shuttle detecting position to establish cooperative relation between the elements and efiective incident to movement of the shuttle feeler away from the detecting position thereof by a misplaced shuttle prior to said motion of the operating member to move said one element out of cooperative relation with respect to the other element to prevent the operating member from moving the. remover member.

3. In a weft replenishing loom, an operating member having a motion incident to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, an actuator element on the operating member, a thread remover member movable'from thread non-pick-up position to thread pick-up position, an actuated element on the remover member for cooperation with the actuator element, a shuttle position detector normally in non-detecting position but moving to detecting position incident to a weft replenishing operation, means mounting one of said elements on the corresponding member for movement relative to the other element, and control mechanism for said one. element controlled by said shuttle position detector effective upon movement of the shuttle feeler to shuttle detecting position to establish cooperative relation between the elements and effective incident to movement of the shuttle feeler away from the detecting position thereof by a misplaced shuttle prior to said motion of the operating member to exert a positive force on said one element to move the latter out of cooperative relation with respect to the other element to prevent the operating member from moving the remover member.

4. In a weft replenishing loom, a bobbin transferrer member having an operating stroke on a weft replenishing operation of the loom, a thread remover member normally in thread non-pick-up position but movable to thread pick-up position, two cooperative elements, one on each of said members, one of said elments being movable with respect to the member corresponding thereto and the other element, a shuttle position detector moving from normal position to detecting position incident to a Weft replenishing operation of the loom, control means. for said one element operatively connected to the shuttle position detector, and resilient means moving said one element into cooperative relation with respect to the other element when the shuttle position detector moves to detecting position, said control means exerting a positive force moving said one element to noncooperative position with respect to the other element in the event that the shuttle position detecor is moved by a misplaced shuttle to prevent movement of the remover member to the pick-up position thereof by a transferrer member.

5. In a weft replenishing loom, a transferrer arm having an operative stroke on a weft replenishi'ng beat or the 10cm, an actuator element supported by and movable with respect to the transnected to the shuttle position detector controlling the actuator element and moving the latter element out of cooperative position with respect. to the actuated element in the event that the shuttle position detector is moved by a. misplaced shuttle to prevent the transferrer arm from moving the thread remover to pick-up position.

6. In a weft replenishing loom, a transferrer arm having. an operative stroke on a weft. replenishing operation of the loom, an actuator element pivoted on the transferrer arm, a thread remover normally in thread non-pick-up position but movable to thread pick-up position, an

' elementon the remover for cooperation with the actuator element, said elements being in cooperative position preparatory to'a weft replenishing operation of the loom to transmit force from the transferrer arm to the remover to move the latter to pick-upposition when the transferrer arm has an operative stroke, and shuttle feeler mechanism controlling the actuator element and effective to move the latter element out of cooperative position withrespect to the element on the remover when the shuttle feeler mechanism is moved by a misplaced shuttle to prevent the transferrer arm from moving the thread remover to pick-up position.

7 In a weft replenishing loom, weft replenish irig mechanism including a transferrer arm having an operating stroke on a weft replenishing beat of the loom, an actuator element pivoted on the transferrer arm, a thread remover movable from thread non pick-up to pick-up position, an element on the remover positioned for coopera tion with the actuatorelement incident to a weft replenishing operation, a lever pivoted on the replenishing mechanism controlling the position of the actuator element, and shuttle feeler mechanism operatively connected to said lever and effective in the eventth'atthe shuttle feeler mechanism is moved by amisplaced shuttle to 'causeisaid lever to move the actuator element out of operative position with respect to the element on the remover member.

8. In a Weftreplenishing loom, an operating "member having an operating stroke on the weft replenishing beat of the loom, a thread remover member normally in thread non-pick-up position but movable to thread pick-up posit-ion, an actuator element on the operating member, an actuated element on the. remover member, one of said elements being movable with respect to 8. the associated member, said elements being in cooperative position incident to a weft replenishing operation, a lever controlling the position of:

said one element, and a shuttle position feele'r ope eratively connected to the lever and effective when moved by a misplaced shuttle tocause said lever to move said one element out of operative position with respect to the other element to, pre

vent movement of the remover member by the" operating member.

9. In a weft replenishing loom, a bobbin trans-'- ferrer member having an operating stroke oh 2. weft replenishing beat of the loom, an actuator element supported by and movably mounted on the transferrer member, means tending noramally to move said element to operating posie tion, a thread remover member positioned for movement to thread pick-upposition by said actuator element when the latter is in the operat ing position thereof on an operating stroke of the transferrer member, and shuttle feeler mech anism controlling said actuator element holding the latterin inoperative position when the f'eeler is in the normal position thereof, said feeler-mov ing to the detecting position thereof preparatory to a replenishing operation and said meansthereupon moving the element. to the operative .p'osi tion thereof, said shuttle feeler mechanism if moved by a misplaced shuttle being effective to move said actuator element away from the operative position thereof to prevent movement of the remover member to 'the pick-up position thereof by the transferrer member.

10. In a weft replenishing loom, a bobbin transferrer member having an operating stroke on a weft replenishing operation of the 100m; a thread remover member normally in thread non-pick up position but movable to thread pick-up position,

two cooperative elements, one on each of said members, one of said elements being movable relatively to the member corresponding thereto, said elements being in cooperative relation with respect to each other preparatory to a weft re plenishin'g operation of the loom and effective when in said cooperative relation to cause the transferrer member to move the remover member to thread pick-up position during an operating stroke of the transferrer member, and a Shuttle position detector operatively related to said one element and effective when engaged 'bya misplaced shuttle to move said one element out'of. co operative relation with respect to the other element to prevent the transferrer member-from moving the remover member to pick-up position.

REFERENCES oITED The foll'o'win'g references are of record inth file of this patent: a

UNITED STATES PATENTS: 

